updated 04:56 pm EST, Thu January 24, 2013

Earnings of $21.46 billion include losses in entertainment, business

Microsoft today revealed quarterly revenue of $21.46 billion for the quarter that ended December 31 and which encompassed the entire holiday buying season, the release of Windows 8, and the Surface tablet debut. Operating income came in at $7.77 billion, net income was reported at $6.38 billion and earnings per share computed to $0.76 per share. The numbers show a three percent increase in revenue, with a three percent drop in both operating income and income per share from the same quarter a year ago.

Highlights of the report were the Windows division posting revenue of $5.88 billion -- an increase of 24 percent from 2011, with Microsoft reporting over 60 million licenses sold to date. Microsoft's Server and Tools business reported $5.19 billion of revenue, a nine percent increase from the previous year. No breakdown of Surface tablet sales, ramifications of the Windows Phone 8 ecosystem, or either's contribution to the company's bottom line was provided.

Blemishes on the financial report include the Microsoft Business Division posting $5.69 billion of revenue, a 10 percent decrease from 2011, and the Entertainment and Devices Division posting an 11 percent decrease with $3.77 billion in earnings, likely due to the proliferation of console markdowns over the holiday season.

"We saw strong growth in our enterprise business driven by multi-year commitments to the Microsoft platform, which positions us well for long-term growth," said Microsoft's Chief Financial Officer Peter Klei. "Multi-year licensing revenue grew double-digits across Windows, Server & Tools, and the Microsoft Business Division."

Microsoft's share price is down two percent on the news in after hours trading.